Therapy for Anxiety in NYC
Your Brain Just Won't Turn Off.
You’re constantly overthinking, playing out worst case scenarios, and can’t seem to focus on anything else. Somehow, you find yourself on the eighth page of Google’s search results for coping strategies, but you doubt any of them would really work for you.
You feel a little stupid turning to ChatGPT, but you do it anyway, hoping AI will understand what you’re going through and know what to do about it. The answer it gives you is as bland and canned as you had feared. You can’t keep living like this.
It’s exhausting. And it’s not something you should have to battle alone.
Our therapists help you untangle the relentless mental knots, calm your nervous system, and most importantly, take back control from the anxiety that’s been calling the shots.
Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety shows up in so many different ways and everyone experiences it differently. It doesn’t always look like a full-blown panic attack. Sometimes it puts on the façade of success, showing up as constantly overthinking, overdoing, and overcompensating (what we call high-functioning anxiety).
Sometimes, anxiety has become so ingrained in our day-to-day, that we hardly recognize it as anything but the norm.
You might recognize it as:
You wake up already feeling behind, your mind running through to-do lists before you get out of bed.
You can’t understand why you’re starting to sweat and your heart is pounding as you think about an upcoming client meeting
Social plans feel exhausting, even with people you love.
Your sleep is a mess. Either you can’t fall asleep, or you wake up in a panic at 3 AM.
Every small decision feels high-stakes, and you find yourself overanalyzing emails and texts, only to worry about what you said afterwards.
You can’t relax without feeling guilty for not being productive.
Curious about others? Take a look at a longer list of symptoms below.
In a city where people wear their ambition on their sleeves, it’s easy to ignore these signs and push through. But we both know that pushing through hasn't been working for you.
How Therapy Can Help with Anxiety
Anxiety thrives in isolation. The longer you tell yourself you can handle it on your own, the more overwhelming it feels.
And if anxiety had an off-switch, you definitely would’ve found it by now. Therapy won’t make you immune to stress, but it will help you stop feeling like you’re drowning in it.
Through therapy, you can:
- Learn practical tools to calm your nervous system in real time (“just relax” isn’t a treatment plan).
- Identify the thought loops that keep you stuck and understand how to break free from them.
- Learn how to tolerate uncertainty instead of spiraling into worst-case scenarios.
- Stop avoiding and start moving through fear with confidence.
- Understand where your anxiety comes from (perfectionism, people-pleasing, past trauma, etc) and actually heal.
- Manage overwhelming emotions without numbing out or avoiding them.
- Practice actually resting and recharging without feeling like you’re falling behind.
Therapy for anxiety is all about learning how to live fully, even if you still have a little fear tagging along in the passenger seat.
Our Approach to Anxiety Therapy
There’s no one way to treat anxiety, and we don’t do cookie-cutter therapy.
But here’s what you can expect from working with us:
We won’t just nod and ask, “How does that make you feel?” We're with you and engaged.
Empathetic & Direct Support:
Real techniques and strategies you can actually use in your daily life.
Practical, Real-World Tools:
Because anxiety also shows up in our bodies and nervous systems.
Mindfulness & Somatic Work:
Anxiety loves to lie to you. We’ll teach you how to catch the lies and rewrite the script.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
Anxiety might feel like it’s running the show, but therapy helps you take the power back.
Who We Work With
We work with people who are tired of venting about how anxiety is running their lives and ready to explore, follow their curiosity, and brave the depths of their own uncertainty.
Yes, we see you.
Anyone who feels like their brain won’t shut up.
navigating culture shock, loneliness, and the stress of starting over.
overwhelmed by deadlines, social expectations, and the existential dread of "what am I going to do with my life?"
who look successful on the outside but are secretly battling imposter syndrome and performance anxiety.
What to Expect in Anxiety Therapy
Compare this to the bottled up emotional explosion that will inevitably happen without it.
Here’s what you can expect when you’re ready to feel better:
01/ A Safe, Judgment-Free Space. This is (hopefully) a given in therapy, but it's important enough that we say it anyway. Just show up with the issues you want to work on (and even those you don't want to work on will probably show up regardless).
02/ Personalized Treatment. We'll take the time to understand your symptoms and the root cause of your anxiety.
03/ Tools You Can Use Right Away. We’ll talk about what's going on for you and we’ll also provide tactical tools you can use and have been shown to reduce anxiety.
Andrew Levey
Therapist
- Anxious Young Professionals
- Teens Under Pressure
- Overextended High-Achievers
Isabel Ghisolfi
Therapist
- Expats + International Clients
- Anxiously Attached Partners
- Overthinkers + Self-Critics
Jacob Mergendoller
Senior Therapist & Founder
- High-Performing Perfectionists
- Therapy for Men
- Work Stress + Burnout
Natalie Dupre
Therapist
- Self-Reliant Overachievers
- Emotional Burnout + Exhaustion
- Overgiving + People-Pleasing
Yoni Neff
Therapist
- Tech Founders & Executives
- Couples with Attachment Differences
- Parents of Teens + Family Therapy
FAQs
Anxiety can show up in many different ways, which is why it often feels confusing or hard to identify. Most symptoms fall into four categories: physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
- Increased heart rate or heart palpitations
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue or exhaustion
- Frequent headaches
- Nausea or digestive issues
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Emotional Symptoms of Anxiety
- Excessive worry
- Fear or dread
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- A sense that something bad is about to happen
Mental Symptoms of Anxiety
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Catastrophizing or expecting the worst
- Intrusive thoughts that are difficult to control
Behavioral Symptoms of Anxiety
- Avoiding certain people, places, or situations
- Procrastinating because of fear or overwhelm
- Compulsive behaviors used to reduce anxiety
- Restlessness, fidgeting, or pacing
- Social withdrawal
If you're experiencing several of these symptoms regularly, therapy can help you better understand what's happening and develop healthier ways of coping.
Depending on how you experience anxiety and the combination of symptoms you've noticed, you might have a specific anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are different from normal feelings of anxiety that everyone goes through from time to time. They tend to be more intense and involve prolonged periods of anxiety that can negatively affect your daily functioning and quality of life.
Some of the most common anxiety disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder typically involves persistent and excessive worry about different aspects of daily life, including work, health, and social situations. Common symptoms include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and muscle tension. When these symptoms interfere with everyday functioning, it may indicate GAD.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks that create sudden feelings of intense fear or discomfort. Symptoms often include heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and fear of losing control. Many people also develop ongoing worry about future attacks and begin avoiding situations they associate with panic.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by an intense fear of social or performance situations where someone may feel judged or scrutinized by others. This often leads to avoidance, significant distress, and symptoms such as blushing, sweating, trembling, and difficulty speaking.
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias involve an intense and irrational fear of a particular object or situation, such as heights, flying, or certain animals. Exposure to the feared trigger can cause immediate anxiety or panic symptoms, often leading people to significantly restrict their activities.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD involves obsessions, which are intrusive thoughts or urges, and compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety. Common compulsions include checking, counting, and excessive cleaning or handwashing. These patterns can become time-consuming and distressing.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories, avoidance of reminders, changes in mood or thinking, and feeling constantly on guard or easily startled.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder involves excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from important attachment figures. While commonly associated with children, it can also affect adults and may include persistent worry, avoidance, nightmares, and physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches.
If you're stressed, you usually know why, and the feeling tends to come in waves. If you're anxious, the worry can feel constant and difficult to control, even when nothing seems wrong. Stress often improves when circumstances change. Anxiety often does not.
Everyday Stress
Stress is a natural response to life's demands and is usually tied to a specific situation, such as work deadlines, relationship challenges, or major decisions. Once the situation improves, stress generally fades as well.
Signs of everyday stress include:
- Feeling temporarily overwhelmed but still able to function
- Having a clear trigger or cause
- Symptoms improving when the situation changes
- Often responding well to rest, exercise, and coping strategies
Anxiety
Anxiety tends to persist even when there is no obvious reason for concern. It often creates excessive worry, dread, or physical symptoms that interfere with daily life.
Signs of anxiety include:
- Excessive worry, even when things are going well
- Overanalyzing or catastrophizing situations
- Physical symptoms such as racing heart, dizziness, or muscle tension
- Avoiding situations because of fear or dread
- Feeling constantly on edge, even during relatively calm periods
Learn more about the difference between anxiety and stress on our Stress vs. Anxiety resource page.
Therapy isn't about blame. It's about improving how you handle challenges, communicate more effectively, and engage more fully in your relationships. The work you do in therapy can benefit both you and the people you care about.
Absolutely. Feeling uncertain about therapy is incredibly common and something we talk about often. Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, especially if you've never done it before. You don't need to be completely sure before reaching out. Many people begin therapy feeling skeptical or nervous and find that simply having a conversation helps them decide whether it's the right fit.
Other Areas We Specialize In
Join our list for thoughtful updates, therapy reflections, and occasional tips on navigating the messy, beautiful work of being human.